The AMCA’s Championship classes will be redefined for the 2019 series with a move away from the established MX1, MX2, Vets, 2 Stroke and Youth 85 classes. Keen to capitalise on the growth and improvements already made to the Championships in recent years, the AMCA have announced that the MX2 class will now include 250cc 2 strokes and a dedicated 125 2 stroke only (inc 150 2 strokes) class will replace the existing 2 stroke class.

This will result in a Championship event day consisting of five classes - MX1, MX2 (including 250cc 2 strokes), Vets, 125 and Youth 85 which AMCA believes better caters for the ever-changing demands of their membership.

Additionally the Championship will become a ten round series as the hunger for Championship quality events increases. In previous years the number of rounds has fluctuated from 7 to 9 but increasing the number to ten is sure to keep attention focussed until the end of the season. Dates and venues will follow in due course but in demonstrating an early focus on the 2019 season this looks set to be the next step in the ever improving AMCA Championship powered by Datatag and supported by Dunlop.

In recent years, we have reported on the threat posed by the so-called ‘Vnuk’ judgement by the European Court of Justice (CJEU). We had hoped that moves in Brussels to amend the Motor Insurance Directive (MID) would see exemptions granted to motor and motorcycle sport. But recent proposals to amend the MID have seen the European Commission do a 180 degree U-turn and Vnuk is now in danger of become a serious reality.

The background to all this is that in 2007, a Mr Vnuk in Slovenia was knocked off a ladder at work by a reversing tractor and trailer. He was injured and claimed compensation from the tractor’s motor insurance. As the incident happened away from the public road, the claim was outside the policy and the insurer refused to pay. The CJEU became involved and ruled that the Slovenian government had failed to transpose the Directive into national law correctly and the Motor Insurance Directive required that all vehicles must have insurance cover for all uses everywhere covering all risks and liabilities. This ruling was challenged by the British, Irish and German governments, but in 2014 the CJEU rejected the appeal.

The UK government, along with sports bodies and industry, lobbied the European Commission to change the legislation so that motorsport would be exempt. We were helped by insurance bodies such as BIBA and the ABI, who stated that insuring motorsport in the same way as normal road use would be extremely expensive (particularly for vehicle to vehicle collisions on the track), that such a policy would not be commercially viable, and no underwriter would want to enter this market. The UK Government also supports our position on the matter.

In April 2016, the argument that motorsport was a case apart was accepted by the then Commissioner in charge of this portfolio, Lord Hill, who directed that an amendment be tabled shortly to be completed by the end of the year. However, rather than publish immediately, he held a consultation and then, after the Brexit vote, Lord Hill resigned. The new Commissioner in charge decided to roll the amendment into a longer process known as “Refit” which included the issue with several other changes to the Motor Insurance Directive.

The European Commission held two more consultations on the issue during 2017. The responses to both were overwhelmingly in favour of the EU exempting motorsport from mandatory insurance requirements.

But in May 2018, two years after the Commission promised to exempt motorsport, they published a formal proposal for an amendment and an impact assessment that explicitly included motorsport in the scope for compulsory motor insurance.

The detail of this proposal was to include a definition of the ‘use of a vehicle’ which included all use of a vehicle on all terrains, whether moving or stationary.

If adopted, this proposal will mean that all vehicles, whether family cars, museum pieces, off road bikes, or MotoGP bikes, will need a minimum 3rd party motor insurance covering all damages and liabilities at all times and for all uses - including use on a closed circuit.

We now have a short window of opportunity to stop the threat of Vnuk becoming reality. The AMCA along with the ACU and the MCIA are already working hard to ensure that our European counterparts lobby their governments and members of the European Parliament (EP). The objective is to get the European Parliament to amend the European Commission proposals, so that motor and motorcycle sports are removed from the scope of the Directive. But it’s vital that other EU governments are also brought on side, given that the EP vote will only be advisory and not binding on the Commission.

Votes in Europe will take place later this year. If we are unsuccessful in getting the proposed Directive amended, the theatre of action then moves to the UK, where we will be calling on the UK Government to not implement under any circumstances. At that point we may request the direct help of clubs in contacting MPs – though there is nothing wrong with writing to your MP about the matter now.

Given the current state of the Brexit negotiations, we cannot look to Brexit to solve this problem for us, as European directives may still apply to motor insurance after the UK leaves the EU. In any case, this is a European problem, not just a UK matter. Irrespective of the UK’s place in the future, we will do what we can to support our European colleagues and friends in their endeavours to save motor and motorcycle sport.

Cheltenham Spa Scramble Club held their meeting on Sunday 1 July which included the Jon Bond memorial Trophy, this trophy is awarded to the highest club scoring on the day in memory of Jon Bond who sadly passed away at our club presentation evening in January 2017.

This year’s winner with 3 race wins in the inter class, was Charlie Palmer who is also currently in second place in the AMCA championship.

The club did well to run a three block meeting with the adverse weather conditions.

Yamaha and the AMCA have great pleasure in announcing the dates for the 2018 MX Pro Tour and the first chance for you to experience the new 2019 range of YZ machines!

The MX Pro Tour will give customers the opportunity to test ride the latest Yamaha motocross models including the all-new YZ250F, YZ450F and YZ125, YZ85 and the newly launched and much anticipated YZ65.

Friday 3rd August & Saturday 4th August – Apex Motocross, Worcester

This year Friday 3rd August will be run as an Exclusive Yamaha Test Day for dealer customers plus AMCA licence holders, whereas Saturday 4th August is an APEX open practice day where any rider will be able to take a MX Pro Tour test ride.

Friday 3rd August (AMCA & Yamaha Dealer Exclusive day)

Yamaha has an exclusive track hire on Friday 3rd for the MX Pro Tour so riders will have plenty of time and space on the circuit to evaluate the new bikes. We would encourage you to attend on the 3rd and make the most of this exciting opportunity.

As in previous years the exclusive demo event will be divided into a morning and an afternoon session, AMCA licence holders should riders should book into either the AM or PM group online, if you are booking through the dealer as them to call the Office and we can book the riders in via telephone.

Places will be charged at £15 per rider for the AM or PM group (per two (2) rides).

Saturday 4th August

Saturday’s event will run alongside a normal Apex public practice day and MX Pro Tour test rides will be available to any signed-on riders.

To test ride on the day, riders will need to be attending the normal public practice day at Apex Motocross (www.apexmotocross.com) and book their test ride with the Pro Tour team on arrival. There is no pre-booking and test rides will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis.

The Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) is today calling on EU member governments and MEPs to reject European Commission proposals which threaten to end all forms of competitive and grassroots motorsport across the EU, including the UK.

The proposals arise from a newly tabled EU Directive which amends aspects of the Motor Insurance Directive (MID). It also responds to the 2014 so-called ‘Vnuk’ judgment of the European Court of Justice, which ruled that all mechanically propelled vehicles must have full third-party motor insurance to cover injury, damage and loss, whether used on public roads or private land.

The insurance industry has already made it clear that it would be difficult to provide such insurance, given the risks, particularly damage to machines, caused by vehicle collisions, common in competition events. In countries where full third-party liability insurance has already been applied to motorised sporting events, premiums have risen to exorbitant levels. As a result, such insurance would make almost all such events unviable.

This will not only affect high level motorsport, but the thousands of people who take part in local events up and down the country. Motorcycle sport generates much needed income in rural areas, with over 1.7 million spectators watching around 55,000 riders attend an average of over 4000 off-road and track events each year.

The European Commission’s proposals represent a complete U-turn from its position of two years ago, when in the wake of the Vnuk judgment, it proposed to exclude vehicles not being used ‘in traffic’ from the MID. This would have made all forms of motorsport exempt from the impact of the Vnuk ruling. The EC has ignored 3,500 consultation responses supporting an exemption for motorsports.

MCIA, along with its motorcycle sport partners the ACU and AMCA, were among the first to raise awareness of the issue and were quickly able to build a coalition of all major UK Motorsport stakeholders.

The UK Government has actively supported efforts to remove the threat of Vnuk and its unintended consequences.

Tony Campbell, CEO of the MCIA said: “It is now vital that our motorcycle sport and industry partners across Europe move swiftly to lobby both the European institutions and other EU member governments. In the UK alone, motorcycle sport is estimated to be worth £1 billion which rises to around £11billion across all forms of UK motor sports.

“We strongly support UK Government efforts, but our message is clear – whatever the outcome of these new proposals Government must take action in order to avoid the catastrophic damage that will be inflicted on Motorsport across the board if this ruling turns into law – even if this means defying Brussels.”

It is with regret that AMCA Events announces the cancellation of Round 3 of the AMCA Championship at Bromsberrow on 27th May. Circumstances beyond our control have resulted in AMCA not being able to guarantee an event of the required standard. Re-design work is currently underway at the venue and when complete will benefit AMCA clubs and riders for the 2018 season and it is envisaged that this will then be a Championship venue in 2019. There are no plans to replace the round. Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause and we look forward to welcoming you to the next round at Lower Drayton on 10th June.

Round 6 AMCA Championship @ Brookthorpe

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This all depends on what discipline you want to start with – some require you to take a licence whilst others are more flexible and allow you to turn up and ride. Once you have opted for a discipline, see the FAQ for more tailored questions.

These are all different disciplines the AMCA caters for, along with much more. Motocross is fast paced, short races over both natural and man-made terrain with 36 riders going into a first corner. Enduro is more long distance, long duration events, usually through woodland. Trials is slow paced, technical, balance based over challenging short course with the object to go through without putting your foot on the floor.